Kellyn felt nervous. And this for at least 20 minutes. Yet, his morning had started rather well: he and his partner had accompanied the chairperson to the Harmony Tree in order to verify the powers of the Red Gem, and thank Arceus, it worked perfectly!

All they had to do was to wait for Keith to return with the Yellow Gem and everything would be perfect!

....That's the problem. The redhead had still not returned. According to the golden-haired Operator, he had sent a report last evening, warning that the Guardian was giving him a bit of a hard time. But he immediately added that they shouldn't worry about him because he and Sapphire were handling the situation.

That's when Hastings stepped in, sending Almia's pair to meet Fiore's.

This is why at this very moment the two were in the open sea, heading towards Haruba Desert. And that's also why the brunet was a nervous wreck, to the point of worrying his partner.

- (Kell...? Are you okay?)

- Yup. I'm fine. Just a little stressed.

A deceptive silence settled for a moment before the bird suddenly swooped, winning a gasp from the teen. She then placed herself just above the water.

- F-Fischl! W-What are you doing?!

- (Enjoy.)

- H-Huh?

- (Enjoy the sea for a bit. You're having a panic attack here, so relax. It's alright, and let yourself go. It'll relax you a little.)

The reluctant boy seemed to weigh the pros and cons for a long moment before letting out a deep sigh.

-...Why not?

Slowly but surely the teenager unfolded his legs in order to put them around the body of the Staraptor. He hesitated again for a moment, then immersed them in the cool water.

A shiver ran through his body.

- ( You're feeling better?)

-....Much better.

The Flying-Type chuckled softly while casting a tender look at his partner who was having fun with the sea.

This joy did not last long, as a huge jet of water spurted violently from the sea, forcing the Staraptor to maneuver urgently.

- A-AAAAAAAHHHH!!!! W-W-What the?!

- (By Arceus! What was that?! A geyser?!)

The duo cautiously approached the water, before suddenly backing away when another equally powerful jet appeared, this time accompanied by a cry of pain.

-...! No. It's not a geyser! But a Pokemon!

- (Given it's strength, I would say it's a Wailord... It's not an aggressive species though...)

The brunet was lost in his thoughts for a moment, then he immediately took out his diving's gear. The bird, understanding what he was trying to do, positioned herself right next to the source of the "geysers".

- (...Be careful there, ok?)

- I promise. I'll come back soon.

The teenager rubbed his head against his partner's, correctly started his device and then dove into the deep waters to go find what was causing all this mess.

Kellyn didn't have to go far to find his answer.

- Oh sweet Mew....! How awful...!

Indeed, in front of his eyes was a scene of horror. A beautiful Wailord was trapped by some kind of device creating a magnetic field around his body....All he could do was scream and call for help, all under the terrified gaze of his little Wailmer.

The boy then cautiously approached the Pokemon duo, careful not to appear threatening. Although the older one was understandably agitated and furious.

- [I swear on Arceus almighty that these ingrates are going to have a bad time once I'm free!]

- I know how you feel... But getting angry will only hurt you unnecessarily...

- [And who do you think you are, you brat?!]

The curt tone the creature used made the Ranger instinctively back away, but he pulled himself together, keeping his composure as best as he could.

-...My name is Kellyn. I'm a Pokemon Ranger, and I'm here to help.

Upon hearing his name, the little Wailmer's eyes lit up.

- [Pa! Pa! It's the Ranger who helped Sharpedo!]

He circled around the boy, all excited, as if to better convey the message to his father. The latter seemed to calm down a bit, although his expression was still twisted in pain.

- [I see...Forgive my bluntness, kid.]

- It's nothing. I understand that you are in one Hell of a state....But you will soon be free, I promise!

The one with teal eyes delicately caressed the blue whale, trying to reassure him. He let himself go, not without mistrust.

- [...Very well. I trust you. But be careful. Those ingrates are still around....]

- I'll be.

The young Ranger then set off, looking for what was holding the poor Wailord. The cause of this seemed to be some very tough machines....Except against the local Huntails.

He also met the famous "ingrates" who were... Dim Sun's henchmen. Why didn't this surprise the brunet...?

Still, after kicking their ass, he could finally have access to the machines on which he let a gang of Hunters go wild.

- Seriously...Replace a cargo ship with a Wailord? I know you shouldn't expect high intelligence from them but still! Whales are not boats!!!

While Kellyn got angry alone in his corner, the Water types had finished "disassembling" the machines. Oh! So many pretty shapes!

- Aw~ You guys were awesome! Thank you for everything!

The Pokemon gang then left, all smiles after leaving a small souvenir for the boy... In the form of bites.

- F-Fortunately they didn't go too hard...! Argh, Fischl is going to kill me...

Don't worry, not a drop of blood was shed during the process.

Anyway, Wailord should be free to move now and the Ranger went to join the Father-Son duo to check on that.

- [ Oh! Ranger, Ranger! Pa is free! Pa is free!]

When he arrived there, the little Wailmer was waiting for him, quite happy. Next to him was Wailord who was resting on the seafloor. However, despite his great fatigue, he still continued to watch his child out of the corner of his eye.

The teenager had a small heartache upon seeing that, but did not know why. His own parents had always loved him though...

- Hey you! The Ranger!

The brunet jumped, although he was seriously impaired by the aquatic environment, and turned frantically toward the source of the voice. It was the minions he had just gotten rid of!

- Because of you we are going to have serious problems! We were ordered to capture that pesky Wailord but now nada!

Their leader's frustrated words made Kellyn shiver involuntarily. He had a very bad feeling about this...

- You know what? Let's get to plan B! Capture this Wailmer and make it snappy! We'll pretend this is a Wailord-Mini!

The teenager bugged for half a second, allowing 3 minions to restrain him, while the other 2 took away the poor little whale.

He was finally released when the group fled, leaving him to curse his own impotence.

- Grrr.....! You little....!

He then tried to pursue them but a powerful furious cry froze him on the spot. It was the Wailord, who was pretty much absolutely furious.

- [ YOU GANG OF LITTLE SHITS!! COME BACK HERE AND GIVE ME BACK MY SON!!!]

The creature abruptly dislodged from his capture location, and began swimming after the minions. The force he used even took the poor teenager who found himself on his back in a plaintive and relatively high-pitched cry.

Quickly, the two broke through the surface, allowing the young Top Ranger to breathe without his device. Except that he immediately began to panic. Where was his partner?

- F-Fischl!!! Can you hear me?! FISCHL!!!!!!

No answer.

Kellyn then felt his insides twist. He hoped with all his heart that the Staraptor was okay. After all, he didn't know how long he had been underwater...

What if she got tired and fell in the water? What if she had been attacked? What if-

- (KELLYN!!!!!)

Suddenly, the vision of the teen darkened. Not because of the weather or a loss of consciousness, but because he now had his head buried in a warm gray plumage.

-...F-Fischl...?

- (Oh for Mew's sake, finally I found you! You scared me to death, you know that?!)

The brunet's body relaxed visibly, letting him enjoy the warmth of his partner. He therefore returned the hug with gentleness and tenderness.

-...Sorry my dear. There was a slight...Unforeseen event.

- (And I'm not going too far by saying that this Wailord is one of them?)

- Nope. You're absolutely right.-

Before he could add anything, the Water-Type whale roared fiercely, drawing the duo's attention to what looked like an oil platform.

The creature stopped right in front of the pier, allowing our two friends to return to dry land. Kellyn then turned to Wailord who was stirring furiously in the water.

- I'll find your little child, I promise. So keep calm okay? We won't be long.

- [ Hurry, I'm begging you...!]

The boy nodded before leaving to explore the lair with his partner. The latter had understood what the situation was about.

- (They captured a Wailmer this time?)

- Yeah. They plan to use him as-

The sound of nearby footsteps interrupted him, making him sink back into his silence. The bird, which was at his side, immediately took up a combat position, ready to attack in order to protect him.

The footsteps approached rapidly, until...

-...Moonlight Boy?

Against all odds, it was not a goon but the 7th Top Ranger, Sven, who appeared in front of the duo.

- What are you doing here? Did this place appeal to you too?

The boy came out of his "transe" and went to meet the adult who was reassuring his partner.

- "We are in pursuit of henchmen who have captured a young Wailmer. It is Mr. Wailord here who brought us here."

Kellyn pointed at the Water-Type who was stirring tirelessly in the sea. The ravenhead looked somewhat jaded.

- I see. I'd like to tell you that I'm surprised, but coming from them... Frankly, nothing surprises me anymore. Although I wonder why they want him.

The brunette giggled nervously and silently, making the older man wince.

- "Anecdote: originally they wanted a Wailord to replace the cargo ship that Barlow and I stole a while ago. Except it didn't work as expected so they settled on this Wailmer. Now they're trying to pretend he's a Wailord-Mini so their boss won't find out."

The man stared at him, taken aback.

-...You can't be serious.

- "I would love to but...Nope."

Sven was silent for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter.

- Bouahaha! By Arceus! I knew they were stupid, but not THAT stupid!

The adult was holding his stomach because was laughing so much, although the teenager didn't blame him for it. It was completely ridiculous after all. The Staraptor, on the other hand, cooed softly thoughtfully.

- (Now I understand the how and the why. Although I have to say it again: they have pea-sized brains!)

The brunet chuckled at his partner's statement before focusing on the raven-haired man who had regained his seriousness.

- Anyway... You're here to rescue a Wailmer who's been kidnapped by those boors from Dim Sun, right?

- "Roughly speaking, yes. But and you? What are you doing here?"

- Do you remember the helicopter Marshmallow Boy told us about? I managed to tail it, and it led me here: an old oil platform belonging to Altru Inc.

The adult was staring at the building, looking serious.

- "Do you think the Shadow Crystal is somewhere in there?"

- Maybe. We don't know what exactly they plan to do with it, so I can't be 100% sure...

The oldest sighed while massaging the bridge of his nose...Ah! Things were so complicated!

- All that to say that my mission at the moment is to investigate this place. But...

He paused, observing the platform before placing his hazel pupils on his cadet. He thought for a long moment, confusing the brunet.

-...You must surely feel it too, this dangerous aura emanating from this place. It's much stronger than Chroma Highlands'...So I would like you to accompany me as a mission partner.

The boy took a step back, surprised.

- "M-Me? Are you sure...?"

- Contrary to what you might think, you are one of the most competent Rangers that I know. You have already proven over and over again what you are capable of. This is why I ask you to be my partner for this mission. Do you accept it?

The teenager took the time to think about it, weighing the pros and cons while glancing at his feathered beast. She stared at the platform with a determined air, while stretching her wings a little...

- "...Okay. I'll try not to disappoint."

Sven smirked as his shoulders slumped in relief. He then ruffled the brown hair in an effort to comfort him.

- I owe you a favor Moonlight Boy. But please don't doubt yourself or your abilities. You are human, and we all know that perfection is not something that is within our reach.

The younger chuckled silently, feeling a weight lift from his heart. It was true that he needed to have more confidence in himself: he didn't become Top Ranger by chance, after all!

- Alright. Just give me five minutes while I notify the Union that you're temporarily changing missions, and we're off.

No sooner said than done. The adult passed a Voicemail to Rhythmi who confirmed, with Chairperson Erma, her friend's new objective.

- Alala... What would we do without our dear Operators, huh?

- "Not much I suppose."

- This is a heavy truth!

The two laughed at their stupidity before the group finally stormed the oil platform. As soon as they climbed the ladder leading them to the deck of the building, they heard Kincaid's characteristic voice.

- It was an honor to have you with us! And you can tell the Boss that the Incredible Machine is 99% complete. We only have the details left to finish, as well as destroying the plans. Don't worry, we take care of everything.

Raising his head a little, Kellyn could see Ice, Lavana, as well as another man, undoubtedly the last member of the SinisTrio, getting into a helicopter which left immediately... Shortly after, the blond chief went away, accompanied by his two admins.

- The Incredible Machine? What is that thing now?

- "Coming from them: bad news."

- That's for sure. In any case, we need to get our hands on those plans. If it's already almost finished, we might as well stop them from completely making it work properly.

The boy nodded, then followed his superior into the depths of the lair, careful not to alert the minions. If one of them ever had the misfortune to meet them... Well, let's just say that Fischl and Eden, Sven's partner, knew how to put them back in their place.

Still, in addition to the plans for the Incredible Machine, the brunet was also looking for the poor Wailmer. The latter had been taken to the deepest part of the base thanks to an elevator, but problem: a bunch of goons had also locked the room leading to said elevator.

- (It's one of the few times they use their brain cells...)

- / Maybe the SinisTrio gave them some?/

- ( Who knows.)

In short, since now part of the platform was blocked, you might as well go see the other side! Along the way, the group passed a few minions who were sleeping while standing inside a control room...

-...I feel a little sorry for them. Guess their captain doesn't know what the word "Rest" means.

- / From Kincaid, I'm not surprised. When we were still in Ranger School, the class he taught was constantly exhausted. They made them work till late at night, especially one of them....Poor Isaac!/

Speaking of the devil, the scientist was in the library located right next to the control room! It seems that he was studying the composition of certain aromatic plants.

- Hmm...? Oh! Kellyn! I am so glad to see you again! What brings you here?

The 7th Top Ranger cautiously turned toward the brunet, one eyebrow raised.

- Do you know him, Moonlight Boy...?

- "It's Isaac, one of my old classmates from Ranger School. He became a scientist after we graduated."

The adult smiled satisfied with this answer before returning his attention to the little blond.

- We are here for a small mission, Mushroom Boy. In fact, we would like to know if you would agree to come with us to the Union, in order to meet Professor Hastings.

At the mention of the old man, the boy's emerald pupils filled with stars.

- I can?! Really?! I've wanted to meet the professor for so long! Of course I'm coming with you! Oh, but I have to say goodbye to Mr. Kincaid first...It's thanks to him that I got here after all.

The teenager was jumping up and down and had a big smile on his lips because he was so excited. It pained the young Ranger to see him like this. He clearly must not be aware of the actions of his former teacher...

- / I really feel sorry for Isaac...The awakening is going to be harsh.../

- (Sincerely I would be skeptical if this man manages to keep his mask on. Especially with you being there. So unfortunately, it is inevitable.)

- / Humhum.../

The foursome then followed the young scientist out of the library through the many corridors of the platform until they arrived at Isaac's personal lab.

- Lately I've been working on a perfume capable of neutralizing the smell of a Skuntank! Fortunately, one of my colleagues was able to bring me one from Chroma Highlands. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to like my coworkers very much...

A Skuntank from Chroma Highlands...? A small sadistic smile appeared on the brunet's face.

- "Say Isaac...Is it possible to see her?"

- Oh? Yes, of course. But be careful, she is wary of strangers.

The emerald-eyed teenager then unlocked the door, letting his comrade and his partner enter the room. And sure enough, there was the Poison-Type in a corner. She jerked her head up and growled at the intruders.

- (Calm down... Do you recognize us?)

The creature stared at them for a moment before her pupils lit up with understanding.

- [ It's you! One of the 2 duos from Chroma Highlands!]

- (Yeah. It's us.)

The teal-eyed one crouched down and held out his hand, inviting the Pokemon to come closer. Which she did happily, rubbing her head against his palm.

- [ I'm so happy to see you again!]

- (Us too, little one. Us too. By the way...According to the person you work with, you don't like a lot of people here...Is that true?)

- [ You mean Saac? Hmm, I admit I only like him here. He's very nice to me, and doesn't fear me like the plague unlike the rest...]

The duo looked at each other for a moment, before refocusing on Skuntank who was enjoying Kellyn's scratches.

- (What if we told you that you could take revenge on them?)

The creature tilted her head in disbelief and curiosity.

- [ What do you mean?]

- (Do you remember what happened in the cave? Well... We can recreate this scenario.)

A few seconds passed and the Poison-Type started to grin.

- [You mean I can asphyxiate them without risking anything in return?]

- (Yup. We'll talk it over with Saac if necessary.)

- [ I am your Pokemon! I'm going to show them what I'm made of!]

The boy chuckled mischievously as he led their secret weapon out of the room. When Sven saw her, he chuckled and silently approved his cadet's move. Fortunately for them, the scientist remained completely in the dark.

When the group arrived in front of the room leading to the elevator, they could only observe that the door was still locked.

- Huh? Why did they lock it? Is there a problem on the lower floor?

- / Let's just say that WE are the problem. Anyway, it's up to you my dear./

The brunet then scratched the creature behind the ear, while indicating the conduit with his finger. She smiled before rushing into it, under the amused gaze of the Ranger.

Immediately screams reached his ears, confirming that she had accomplished her mission. Minions stormed out, screaming bloody murder, making the blonde worry but the Rangers and their Partners laughing.

Skuntank walked out, her face showing pride. She rubbed against Kellyn's legs then went back to Isaac's laboratory, all proud and happy.

- Hey, wasn't that a bit cruel...?

- There are many things you don't know, Mushroom Boy.

Luckily the ravenhead knew how to be a diplomat! But let's move on. With the way now clear, they were finally able to access the elevator as well as the lower floor.

This one was riddled with traps, precautions taken by Kincaid according to the scientist, except that they just needed to overload their electricity generators in order to deactivate them...Suffice it to say that Eden killed it!

Finally, they reached some kind of glass corridor. According to Isaac, the captain's quarters were at the end of it. At the mention of the blond man, the Union group tensed, knowing there was no way a fight would not break out.

The air soon became heavy and suffocating, proving just how palpable the tension was....Until the ringtone of a Styler suddenly echoed, startling everyone quite violently.

- By Arceus! This is yours, Moonlight Boy?!

- "S-Sorry sorry!!!!"

The brunet quickly turned around, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he checked who was trying to call him. Upon seeing the name of the contact, he couldn't prevent a silly smile from appearing and then hurried to answer.

- Vicemail! Vicemail! Here Hea-Keith! You are my friend huh? Do you know the rock? The Yellow one? Well, I need you to have it! This is a major mashup! Very important! Come and quickly!

.....

- / Who the fuck are you? You're not Keith!/

- What the- What?! It's clearly not Sunshine Boy! He doesn't talk like that! Especially to you!

While Sven mumbled under his breath, confused and shocked, on the 11th Top Ranger's side the anger was rising. His mind went completely blank letting the rage take over. He felt his heart race furiously as murderous intent began to manifest in his aura.

- / Motherfucker, what did you do to Keith? I hope for your ass that he's not injured, otherwise you're gonna die! Keith, you're okay, right? KeithKeithKeithKeithKeithKeith....!/

A pair of wings suddenly enveloped him in a warm, comforting hug.

- (Hey hey...! Calm down Little Amethyst, calm down...! It's alright, it's alright...Shh...~ Keep your murderous rage aside for now, okay? You can murder this guy later, I promise. But for now you're just worrying the rest of the group...)

This seemed to bring the young Ranger back to reality as his whole body suddenly relaxed. His pupils met the worried ones of the adult who had firmly placed his hand on his shoulder.

- Moonlight Boy...?

- "...Sorry. I was spacing out."

The brunet instinctively gave his superior a gentle headbutt to show that he was fine... Except that he realized that the receiving end wasn't part of his circle of close people.

- "A-A-AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! SORRY!!!!!"

The teenager tried somehow to apologize despite his burning cheeks, while the oldest chuckled both amused and softened.

- Aw~ That was sweet Moonlight Boy.

The raven-haired man then gently ruffled the brown hair with a playful gesture, showing that he was not upset.

- Come on, don't worry. I know you're worried about Sunshine Boy...How can I blame you?

The adult looked very serious.

- Me too, I want to go see what's going on, but we still have a mission to accomplish, whether we like it or not. We have to be quick, but let's not rush. This is the best way to make mistakes and put ourselves in danger. Do you understand it?

The teenager bit his lips, frustrated. He knew his superior was right, but... His heart was caught in the crossfire.

- "...Crystal clear."

- Perfect. Now let's say hello to your old teacher. We've made him wait long enough, haven't we?

Kellyn half nodded before taking a deep breath. He waited a few seconds and then lightly patted his cheeks. Let's get back to work.

He then gave a big smile to the poor scientist who was very clearly lost, and didn't know what to do.

- "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

- That's not what-...

The blond didn't have the time to finish his sentence that his former comrade passed him, joining Sven who had posted himself in front of the door, ready to fight.

-....I've never seen such wrath before...How can someone as sweet as you have a look filled with so much hatred...? Kellyn...Are you okay?

The boy's words remained in whispers as he joined the Union foursome with a sigh. Now wasn't the time to worry about it, especially since the Ranger was certainly not going to talk to him. He knew it all too well.

- Ready kids?

The two teenagers nodded quickly, one nervous, the other filled with newfound determination. The adult gave them a smile, before opening the door separating them from their objective.

In this room were Kincaid, his 2 admins and a poor Wailmer.

- Is this supposed to be a joke? This is a Wailmer! Not a Wailord!

- I also thought that I didn't know any Pokemon called "Wailord-Mini"....

- And you were DUMB enough to believe it?!

...There are some things that will never change, huh?

The ravenhead then cleared his throat, effectively attracting the attention of the Dim Sun trio.

- Well...I knew that we had pest problems...Professor Isaac, what are you doing with them?

Ignoring the fact that he had just called them pests, which had made the Staraptor roar internally, the group let the scientist approach his mentor.

- Mr. Kincaid...I intend to leave with them for the Ranger Union. I know everything you have done for me, and I'm grateful for it....But, I have to go.

- Oh really?

The smile displayed by the captain suddenly froze the blood of the teenagers. The two admins, understanding the signal, quickly surrounded Isaac. Luckily for him though, Sven was, as usual, ready to go into battle. He stepped in, protecting the boy.

-...It seems that you have misunderstood something, professor. Since when are you the one in charge?

The man's voice cracked menacingly, causing his former student to flinch in fear and confusion.

- You don't even try to hide behind a mask anymore, huh? Very well. But we won't let you lock him up in this place any longer.

The ravenhead's voice gradually lowered in the octaves, showing the presence of a restrained rage with great mastery. The two adults stared at each other, equally determined and enraged for a long moment....Who would have thought that the 7th Top Ranger could be so terrifying?

- Tss! I guess the battle is inevitable. But that doesn't matter, in addition to the professor, you stole the plans for the Incredible Machine....You can imagine that such a gesture cannot go unpunished.

Oh, that's why Sven was lagging behind....He was looking for the blueprints.

- And count on us to NOT let them fall back into your dirty hands.

The blond man laughed an evil, slightly deranged laugh, before pulling out his personal Miniremo.

- So I have to fix it! Gliscor, exterminate them!

He tapped at the machine for a moment before a piercing cry was heard. Looking up, the group could see the creature swooping towards them. Except that it was intercepted by Fischl, who decided to not let it make the rules.

The brunet quickly joined his partner, Styler engaged, ready to fight.

- Are you on it, Moonlight Boy?

- "Yeah. I have a score to settle with him anyway."

The oldest of the Rangers nodded his head before refocusing on the Admins who were trying to reach Isaac.

-...I remember you. Weren't you supposed to be dead? I must believe that Drapion was unable to do it's job properly. Oh well, let's move on. This time I'll make sure you don't get in our way, you weed!

At the mention of the Poison-Type Pokemon, Kellyn couldn't help but grab his wound with one hand. He was pretty sure the pain was coming back.

- (You asshole!!! He wanted to kill you all along!)

- / I know Fischl, I know....But at least it gives us a reason to teach him a good lesson, right?/

- (Yup! He won't understand what's happening to him! Hahahaha!!!)

The Staraptor therefore launched a direct attack, fully attracting Gliscor's attention. The 11th Top Ranger took a deep breath, placing himself in a great state of concentration and began his capture.

Strangely, it went quickly and without great difficulty...Despite the speed and agility of the bat-scorpion, the duo completely outspeeded it, dancing gracefully under it's incessant attacks.

Maybe Kellyn had finally gotten better? Either way, Kincaid's Miniremo exploded, leaving him defenseless.

- Grrr! Enough! Why do snoopers like Keith or you always have to get involved?! However, that doesn't matter anymore! The Incredible Machine is almost complete! It doesn't matter if you have our plans! You are too late, hahahaha!!!!

The man laughed at the top of his lungs as he entered his escape pod, plunging into the ocean. His Admins immediately swam after him, leaving our group alone.

-....The Incredible Machine....Isn't to promote friendship between humans and Pokemons...?

The scientist was in a deep state of shock and denial, muttering incomprehensible things almost inaudibly.

- Mushroom Boy...I know it's a hard pill to swallow, but you have to open your eyes.

The only remaining adult tried to find the right words to reassure the young blond, while his cadet remained in the background, preferring to take care of the Wailmer. He didn't feel confident enough to try to comfort the other teen, knowing that it was very sensitive matter to him.

- [ Thanks thanks thanks!! Can I go see Pa now...?]

The brunet smiled at the creature before pointing toward the hole through which the Dim Sun trio had gone. He and his beast then guided the whale, which again thanked them, then jumped into the water, thus regaining his freedom.

- Moonlight Boy?

The teen turned around quickly upon hearing his nickname, finding himself face to face with his superior who was keeping the scientist close to him.

- We have to get out of here quickly before other henchmen show up. I'll drop you off at Haruba Desert then accompany Mushroom Boy to Union. Is that fine with you?

The Almia duo just nodded silently, quietly following their superior. The trip's atmosphere was filled with so much embarrassment that you could cut it with a knife, but no one dared to add anything. Fortunately for them, no henchman tried to block their way, probably too busy celebrating the escape of their captain...

When they finally regained the surface, the brunet decided to change the planned plans.

- "Sven?"

- Hmm? What is going on? A problem?

- "No, no, don't worry! It's just that... You don't have to drop Fischl and me at Haruba Desert. We'll fly there. You better focus on Isaac. Only Arceus knows what he's capable of in his condition."

The adult marked a pause, and carefully observed his cadet.

- Are you sure?

- "100%."

The two Rangers stared at each other for a moment during which a silent mini-battle ensued between them. Finally, the ravenhead gave in with a sigh.

-...Alright. I trust both of you. Try to be careful, we don't know exactly what happened with Sunshine Boy... But we can easily guess that Team Dim Sun has something to do with it. Oh, and beware, sandstorms can be very violent at times.

- "We will, I promise. I also swear to bring Keith and the Yellow Gem back."

Sven then ruffled the youngest's hair one last time, making him smile, before they parted ways. While the 7th Top Ranger accompanied the scientist to Union, the Almia duo set out once again for the desert, hoping to find the Fiore duo safe and sound...

Meanwhile, in the Wailord Sea...

- Raaagh!!! Once again, I got beat up by that damn kid! What a humiliation!

Kincaid ranted vocally from inside his pod, badmouthing behind the 11th Top Ranger's back, as his Admins struggled to swim after him.

Suddenly, something hit the machine head-on.

- WHAT THE- WHAT IS THAT?!!!

- [ So, you remember me, you little jerk?!]

Indeed, the "thing" that had fun sending Captain Dim Sun flying was none other than the Wailord his team had tried to capture... And now he wanted revenge.

- AAAAAAHHH!!!!! ENOUGH!!! THIS IS NOT A SOCCER BALL!!

- [Do I seem to care?!]

So, the creature had a field day, royally ignoring the cries of the human, and this under the tired gaze of the Admins.

- Shouldn't we help him...?

- Because you really think you can do something? And we never had any luck with our superiors anyway...

- Not wrong.

A quick note for later: never anger papa whale.

---------------------------------

Dim Sun Goon: We're gonna use that Wailmer instead of this Wailord in order to replace our cargo ship!

Kellyn:.....I think I've already said that but whatever....WHALES ARE NOT BOATS!!!!

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Unknown: *impersonates Keith*

Kellyn: *Berserk mode* So, you have chosen Death.